Seoul, Jan 16 (IANS) A Seoul court began on Thursday to review the legality of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention at the request of his lawyers after investigators took him into custody over his short-lived imposition of martial law, judicial sources said.
The review of the legality of Yoon’s detention came a day after the impeached president’s legal representatives filed for a petition with the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul after investigators detained him for questioning over his martial law declaration on December 3.
The court has 48 hours to make a decision since receiving the review request by considering the documents from investigators and through questioning. If it finds Yoon’s detention unlawful, he will be released from custody.
The court is expected to come up with a decision on whether to grant or dismiss Yoon’s petition as early as late Thursday.
While the court review is in progress, Yoon’s 48-hour detention period has been put on hold since about 2 p.m. when investigators submitted documents, including evidence, to the court. The detention period will remain on hold until the court returns the documents to the investigators, Yonhap news agency reported.
Yoon did not attend the court’s closed-door hearing, held as part of the review, citing security issues. Instead, three of his lawyers appeared on his behalf.
Yoon’s side has disputed the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)’s investigation of him on insurrection charges, arguing that the office has no jurisdiction over such cases involving a president.
Yoon’s side has also argued the detention warrant against him, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, is invalid, insisting that the case should have been handled by the Seoul Central District Court instead.
The CIO has refuted Yoon’s claims, arguing that the court issuance of two detention warrants effectively affirmed its jurisdiction over the case.
–IANS
int/jk/
